Population ageing is a worldwide phenomenon, and India is no exception. The Indian population has approximately tripled during the last 50 years, but the number of elderly Indians has increased more than fourfold. The boundary between middle age and old age cannot be defined exactly because it does not have the same meaning in all societies. The 2001 census has shown that the elderly population (60+ years) of India accounted for 77 million. The census 2011 projections indicate that the elderly population has crossed the 100 million mark. It took more than 100 years for the aged population to double in most of the countries in the world, but in India it has doubled in just 20 years. The life expectancy has also gone up to over 70 years today. Better medical-care facilities and liberal family planning policies have made the elderly the fastest growing section of the society in India.
Aged, Policy, Old age home, Society
